An Eruption of Chaos (part 2)
Rainbow dash ran through the halls, or what was left of them. So many halls had been blown through this formerly straightforward place had been turned into a maze.
“Follow that idiot!” Applejack had yelled. Rainbow had of course protested, with the response that how would Applejack deal with any of this? AJ however had smiled. “Think this is my first rodeo? Dang, if ya think I’m that weak then ya better get back quickly, yer meant to be fast ain’tcha?”
How could Rainbow refuse a challenge like that? Fine, Rainbow would trust that. However, she was dealing with her own issues, such as the fact that many of the grunts seemed to be crowding around her, standing in her path as she pushed forward. They sent out all manner of Pokemon. Sewaddle, Dwebble, Orbeetle, Nuzleaf, Murkrow, each one that came her way she cut down with Nincada, who was getting stronger each battle. The problem was the amount. Each time she got close to Thunderlane and Luxray more of those idiots showed up blocking her path, seemingly leaving the rest of the group to the larger Pokemon. Taillow helped clear the path, while many of the small Pokemon were ones Nincada could deal with pretty easily. Still, as awesome as it made her feel she needed to help Thunderlane.
“When are you guys gonna learn? I’m too awesome for you to take down, now outta my way!” Nincada blew through another bunch, before shuddering. Rainbow frowned. “You can keep going right?”
Nincada looked to her and raised its claws. Rainbow grinned. “Attaboy. Thunderlane still needs us!”
Rainbow remembered what Twilight had said for a bit about type advantages. Nincada being ground had helped against Luxray, so Heliolisk would be the same. By now she had knocked most of the grunts away, and saw Thunderlane on Luxray chasing after Heliolisk, so close now but speaking of ground-types something else stood in her way. It looked kinda like a spinning top or some sort of toy Pinkie would use for her parties, but way way too old-looking. Red markings over its eyes and body that almost seemed to glow and flat appendages that almost seemed like arms. Baltoy stood before her, no trainer around.
“Aww come on, another one?” Rainbow glared at the thing. “I’m on a winning streak right now, no way I’ll lose!”
Thunderlane had been chasing Heliolisk for a while. Luxray may have been strong but couldn’t compare to the speed of this lizard. He supposed he should’ve expected it but he was here now. It wasn’t just the speed either, but the size. Each time he thought he was getting closer that thing would slip through his grip. So focused he couldn’t stop for anything.
As he spoke, the speakers lit up beside him, he could see faint shocks from each one he passed by.
“Interesting type, electric. In the right hands, its force is as explosive as fire. So much focus on power and speed, it’s a typing that can take you anywhere. Lose before you know it.” Thunderlane kept going, trying to ignore that smug voice following him. “So many advantages and very few weaknesses. Just one.”
Before he knew it, Luxray got a slash to the torso and Thunderlane was knocked off, both of them falling to the ground as they saw Gliscor floating above, its fangs pointed into a smirk. Heliolisk stopped, and the two could hear footsteps coming from around the hall, where they saw a red-haired woman in a leather jacket, a smile on her face, before walking over to Luxray and kneeling down to get a better look at the feline.
“Agh… It really wasn’t enough? You really had to go for Rumble’s Pokemon too?”
“What can I say? They had potential.”
“He’s my brother! Yet Lux barely even recognised him, all the time we spent together…”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. This much power is wasted on people like you. They’re lucky I found them, made them better.”
“Better?! When I found Luxray it was in pure rage, not even knowing friend from foe.”
“Not really true though. You were just a foe. Now though, you’ve confused poor Luxray, want it to play nice, leaving it with no outlet for that power and rage. If it was with me I could’ve provided the means as it progressed, but those mooks… I really can’t trust them with anything, huh? I had to go all around this place cleaning up their mess, you know! Found everyone, except for the Luxray you graciously brought back.”
“You don’t have to do a thing she says!” Thunderlane turned to Luxray, but Sunset still smiled at the feline.
“Poor you… So confused. Caught between your old trainer and your new one. You don’t understand who you should listen to right now, so understand the hierarchy, and what will happen if you don’t listen to it.”
She snapped her fingers. Gliscor grabbed Thunderlane by the tail, and for a moment worry flashed in Luxray’s eyes. Even if it was still difficult to think straight beyond the rage, it understood that it would not allow this to happen, it could not, and it knew what it had to do. So, Luxray closed its eyes and relaxed its body, relenting.
“Strong and smart, I knew I picked well.” She turned back to Thunderlane, flashing him a grin. “Seriously though, thanks again for the help.”
Twilight walked out through the rocks. So much chaos going through this whole building, she could see the halls around her, the destruction even having made new pathways. Roaring and the sounds of battling could be heard from pretty much every corner, but she knew she couldn’t get bogged down by battles. Already knowing she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted by Camerupt, no, she had to go to the source, to the one in charge, and then she’d be able to bring this whole operation down eventually. As she was thinking of which one to go through something flew over her, nearly blowing her off her feet. Gliscor went right past her, going down one of the new holes that was made. Scrambling to her feet, she had returned Ralts and Hoothoot. Gliscor was managing to move quickly, but she could just barely follow. Either because it had trouble moving in confined spaces or just plain because it was in no rush, she managed to follow behind. Eventually though, she lost sight. Then she heard a few loud thuds and ran.
Initially she saw Baltoy in her path, and the realisation hit her, turning a hunch into a confirmation. That girl was here.
As she reached for a Pokeball, Baltoy was struck by a final Fury Swipes and fell, seeming to faint.
“Aww yeah!” She turned, seeing Rainbow pump her fist. “That’ll teach you to mess with-”
“Rainbow?”
“Twilight!”
“What are you- Shouldn’t you be with the others? What’s going on? Shouldn’t you be with your group?”
“Thunderlane’s brother’s Pokemon is here! I had to go after it!”
“What… R-Rainbow, listen, we have to find the person in charge. This is bigger than one Pokemonn. If one part comes down, the re-”
She paused, seeing something glowing. She would turn around, noticing that the source was Nincada; it was evolving. Before she knew what was happening, Nincada shuddered, its back opening up to reveal wings, wet and new, they flapped a few times and truly took form. It shot out, and Nincada’s transformation was complete.
Unlike the pale Nincada, this Pokemon was mostly black, with accents of yellow, two pointed crests on the side of its head, above a pair of gleaming red eyes staring down at Rainbow. A pair of grey arms hung at its sides as it hovered in the air.
“What in the- AH!” Twilight gasped as the insect was in front of them in a blink, its flapping wings almost sounding like a low motor. She was stunned, not normally seeing a Pokemon evolve this way. Normally they just changed form, not leaving a husk of their former body behind. Though she had heard something like this was common for bug-type Pokemon. Slowly, she took her Pokedex out.
Ninjask: The Ninja Pokémon
Ninjask moves around at such a high speed that it cannot be seen, even while its crying can be clearly heard. For that reason, this Pokémon was long believed to be invisible.
“Woo! You evolved, Nincada! I mean, we fought enough guys to get through here and of course we could beat them, we’re awesome, but it got sooo boring. Then that spinning one came and now we’re stronger, faster; there’s nothing in our way.”
Twilight wanted to think more about this, but she didn’t have the time. She could still hear those sounds.
“Hurry, we need to go!” Like that, the pair ran for the noise.
When she got there however, she was too late. An unconscious Thunderlane sat against the wall. On the other wall, stood a redhead in a leather jacket, three Pokemon surrounding her. Gliscor, Heliolisk and Luxray.
“More of you? Oh, and the golden girl~! Glad you all went to the trouble of bringing Luxray here, it’s a full set again. Your reward… Mega Kick.”
Heliolisk shot into action leaping into the air, the girls and their Pokemon barely managing to dodge before Heliolisk cracked the wall with a single swing. It landed on the ground to swing another, until Ninjask blocked it. Initially, the bug-type was on the defensive, narrowly avoiding each shot and slashing at a Heliolisk who avoided it. However, something was happening. Each second that went by, Ninjask seemed to be dodging by wider margins, more artfully. This caused Heliolisk to grow more frustrated, firing off a Discharge, but even that was avoided by Ninjask. Rainbow pumped her fist. “Yeah, Dig!”
Ninjask shot into the ground as Heliolisk tried its Mega Kick. Only a few moments later the bug shot up below Heliolisk, knocking it back. Rainbow grinned, but Sunset’s expression remained unchanged.
“Time to prove your worth Luxray. Thundershock.” Ninjask zipped around the area once more, but Luxray’s eyes darted wherever it went, before finally shooting the bolt straight at it, hitting dead on and to Rainbow’s surprise, her once ground-type cried out in pain. It didn’t seem to matter how fast it had been going.
Twilight was surprised watching Luxray follow the battle so intently, before remembering its dex entry: It can see clearly through walls to track down its prey and seek its lost young.
A Pokemon with exceptional eyesight. This was bad.
As Ninjask fell to the ground Rainbow was left shocked, but Sunset just smirked.
“What, you didn’t actually think you could fight me, right? Your little bug might be faster now, but I’ve seen images of Ninjask before, and I know that those wings most likely made it a flying-type. Its speed cost it that immunity. It can’t quite defend as well… Shame.”
Twilight’s was aghast. She remembered what Rainbow had said, about having to fight a bunch of easy grunts, then Baltoy. Right as she thought of it, the clay Pokemon spun from behind towards its trainer who returned it. “Don’t tell me you planned this…”
“Do you understand yet? Pokemon need experience to evolve. Of course, even this has exceptions such as stones and learning certain moves. If you know what strings to pull, you’re the perfect trainer.”
She turned, hopping on Luxray and bolted. Twilight followed, but ended up bracing herself when she saw Heliolisk swinging a Mega Kick at her. However, the kick never landed. Ninjask was in the air, shaky. Sparks still danced around it.
“I’ll handle this one, go!” She said that, yet when Ninjask tried to avoid another attack, it seized up with the telltale signs of Paralysis, leaving it wide open. It hit the ground, and Heliolisk hissed. It ran up to Rainbow, aiming another Mega Kick at her. She raised her hands to block, but the kick never landed. She looked up, seeing something new. It had a light brown body with tattered wings and a gray abdomen. Narrow eyes watched Heliolisk as a sickle-shaped halo floated above its head. They didn’t know who this mysterious Pokemon was, but they heard it mutter a single word:
“...dinja…”
AJ and Braeburn weren’t doing too well. Each time Lairon pushed back decently against Rhydon, it was rewarded with Hammer Arms to the body. It kept getting back up, but stubbornness would only get it so far. Braeburn stepped forwards.
“I don’t know what they did, but I know you’re stronger than this. We took care of the other Rhyhorn, you always watched to make sure they were ok…” The cowboy could see Rhydon glancing at him after it knocked Lairon away again.
“I know you’re not just some wild swingin’ monster!” Braeburn dodged again. “We spent so much time together, training. Please, what happened-“
“Move!” Lairon shot forward, landing another Iron Head on Rhydon.
He was nearly knocked off his feet from the shock waves, before he watched Lairon get a Drill Run. AJ sent her other Pokemon out, but each one was swatted like flies. Phanpy knocked into Applejack making them both hit a wall. By this point, Rhydon was looking down at him, that rage still in its eyes, but something was in there.
“It makes me mad just thinking about whatever they did to make you like this… You’re the kindest, most helpful Pokemon I know, and I wanna help you back! Whatever they did to make you angry, I wanna get back at em with ya! LET’S HIT ‘EM BACK TOGETHER!”
Rhydon advanced forward, raising an arm to swing. Applejack scrambled up, trying to get to her cousin before he was felled by his own partner. She was too slow.
Braeburn closed his eyes.
The impact was heard throughout the hall. When Braeburn opened his eyes, he would not find a scratch on him. Rhydon however, stumbled from the force of its arm swung into its own stomach. It looked down at its partner, breathing heavily before striking a wall with a roar. It swung wildly wherever it could, making more holes in the facility. One after another, the place became even more destroyed, but one of the holes it made burst open with black flames, making Rhydon stumble back.
Braeburn was confused, until Pinkie Rarity Strongheart and Thunderhooves burst through, all looking sweaty and singed.
“Whuh-”
“Run!” Rarity cried, and the group of four made some distance.
“Applejack, this thing is crazy! We need to use Lairon!” Pinkie grabbed AJ’s shoulders.
“‘fraid that’s not an option. Lairon is as good as down.” Applejack looked at her friend apologetically. Applejack gave her friend an apologetic look.
“It’s not crazy! That’s my partner you’re talking about!” Thunderhooves protested.
“Whatever you want to say, this might be the worst case scenario, dearies.” Rarity spoke, and the group realised that they were pincered by Rhydon and Camerupt. There was little space to move, some might be able to get out the way, but all of them?
Pinkie looked at the two, and it was clear to her how different these behemoths were. One was filled with rage, begging to be let out, but the other? When she looked at Camerupt, she saw a face where everything but rage had been sealed off, leaving only something that wanted to destroy.
Camerupt leered down at the group, looking between them, before focusing on the cowboy whose back was turned. It had chosen its target. Rhydon had, too. Both Pokemon moved, Camerupt eager to release its Frustration. Yet inches before the impact, it was knocked into a wall.
Rhydon stood, panting with a raised Arm that had just Hammered its target. Braeburn looked up at Rhydon, and the rock-type looked back. Through that rage, there was understanding and for a moment, the cowboy felt overjoyed. However, a roar snapped him back into reality. Camerupt had stood up, its rage now focused on what was probably the one being here who could handle it. Rhydon roared back.
One of Camerupt’s humps grew red hot, before Pluming Lava wherever it could reach. Rhydon rushed forward, taking the brunt of it and trying to prevent it from spreading to the group. Braeburn looked around, before his look hardened.
“Rhydon, if you can hear me… use Rock Tomb!” The large Pokemon looked up, before summoning rocks to fall around the hall, specifically around Camerupt. Some hit it of course, but most stopped the flow of lava from reaching the others. “Now Drill Run!”
The rock-type rushed forward, the attack hitting Camerupt square on. “Keep it up!”
Drill Run after Drill Run, desperately trying to knock that camel down at it winced. However, it got sick of taking punishment and released a black fire from its mouth. Rhydon froze, its eyes widening as it stumbled back. Braeburn was surprised.
“What in the… That was a fire-type move, it shouldn’t have done that much!”
“We’ve seen it before…” Applejack spoke. “Whatever that move was just now, it weren’t no fire move. I’m sure of it now.”
The rock-type stumbled back, arching its head before coming back down on Camerupt with a Drill Run like a mallet, only to be met with that Shadow-like Fire once more. Braeburn however, knew it wasn’t just that. Even if it won, it had still taken punishment from Luxray and Lairon, and now had to fight something much stronger.
“Rhydon’s taken too much damage, I don’t know if it’ll last that long.” Braeburn spoke, worried.
Thunderhooves stared at his partner, still not able to comprehend how truly different it was. He closed his eyes.
“Forgive me, my friend…” He sent out Shieldon. Whatever these people had done, he would make them pay. “Metal Sound!”
The fossil let out an ear-piercing noise. The others shut their ears, but Camerupt felt the effect. “Now Take Down!”
Shieldon rushed at Camerupt, ramming into its side. It did some damage, but when Camerupt retaliated with Earth Power it proved minor. Shieldon was knocked out near-instantly. Thunderhooves grit his teeth, sending out his next Pokemon. Sandslash brandished its claws.
“Rollout!”
“Hammer Arm!”
Thunderhooves and Braeburn called out their attacks at the same time; Rhydon hitting Camerupt in the face, Sandslash hitting it in the back. However, that left it in close proximity to those humps, allowing it to take Lava Plume head-on.
“Move that thing away!” Braeburn yelled, and Rhydon knocked Sandslash out of the attack’s range, but the damage was already done. Sandslash stood up, not quite out but having suffered serious injuries. Once the cowboy had made sure that Sandslash was as alright as it could be, he found himself looking around at this place. He thought about how Pokemon went in here, stripped of everything but their power, and used like tools. He looked back to Rhydon, who was still holding on, thinking about the times they would ride along the open lands and through their town, how his friend’s face would light up.
“This place has caused a whole lotta pain… Hey, Rhydon.” The rock-type glanced back to its trainer. “Sorry I couldn’t find ya… But if you’ll still have me, let’s tear this place down.”
Twilight was flabbergasted by what was going on. Ninjask had been felled, in its place was this… husk of an insect. Yet when Heliolisk launched its Mega Kick the attack did nothing. She watched as the electric-type got more desperate in its attacks, but shrugged them all off. What even was this Pokemon? It almost seemed like an evolution of Nincada but she knew that it had already evolved into Ninjask. Slowly, she got out her Pokedex.
Shedinja: The Shed Pokemon
Shedinja is a peculiar Pokémon. It seems to appear unsought in a Poké Ball after a Nincada evolves. This bizarre Pokémon is entirely immobile—it doesn't even breathe.
Rainbow smiled as Shedinja floated around her. “Hey, looks like it’s on our side!”
Of course. They couldn’t think too long about this, not wanting to leave the redhead to do whatever she wanted. The bookworm looked at the Pokedex once more.
“Finish this lizard off then! If the Pokedex is right this thing should have the same attacks as Ninjask!” Twilight said frantically, and Rainbow winked before pointing at Heliolisk, and calling out a series of attacks, before finishing the electric-type off with a Dig.
Finally, Heliolisk fell.
Rainbow pumped her fists in the air. “WOO! Yeah, Shedinja!”
The ghost-type spun around her, the two seeming to do this little dance. Twilight however was unamused.
“We can’t keep standing around. That girl can’t have gone too far.” Twilight protested, before glancing to Rainbow who was picking up Heliolisk. “We can come back, there isn’t much time!”
The bookworm didn’t know how much time she had, and didn’t want to push it. Looking at the hall that Sunset bolted down and ran. Rainbow gently lowered Heliolisk’s passed out body onto Thunderlane’s lap, her smile smaller.
“You better sit tight. Soon, all your friends are gonna be back.”
Twilight ran as fast as she could, even if this wasn’t very fast but now that her way was cleared she knew she had to keep moving. This was the closest she had ever been to discovering what exactly it was these people were planning. Luckily she was moving through a part of the base that did not seem to have suffered much damage. Much of this place was put together quickly, likely to account for the fact that powerful Pokemon would be tested on here but this small area had a certain amount of cleanliness to it, so it likely had few Pokemon if any. She hadn’t seen any grunts either, telling her that she and her group had likely dealt with the vast majority. Eventually, she would come across a door ajar and stopped. She looked around, finding the area empty.
The room was dishevelled, with open filing cabinets lined up against the wall, the vast majority of them being empty. She took a step forward, before hearing a drip. She would look down, seeing her foot in a puddle. As she walked in further she would realise just how drenched this room was from the walls to the cabinets, tables and lab equipment. On the other side of the room was a large screen with a chair and large keyboard, a little more like a small cinema than a normal desk with a computer. She took a step forward before yelping as the thing sputtered sparks. Twilight jumped back, raising her arms as if that would’ve helped.
Well, that scratched checking the computer. Both it, and what little paper remained in the cabinets had been waterlogged by what she could only assume was Sunset covering her tracks. She glanced to her right, seeing a small doorway, and curiously water leaking right from underneath.
As she opened the door, she was greeted with a low rumbling noise. The room was dimly lit but she could just about see all the wires and technology, along with what appeared to be a generator, wires coming into it from a strange contraption almost like an open cage, but it was so small. Whatever the cage was, she realised it must feed into the generator somehow as its power that it provided the base wouldn’t come from nowhere… But what?
Then she remembered: Heliolisk. The team must’ve been using it to power this facility by keeping it in this cramped thing. With the whole place being torn apart and invaded, there wasn’t any further use for it. Neither the cage nor the generator, however, were the source of the rumbling or water.
She turned her attention to something near the cage, a large square device that whirred and vibrated. She took a few steps closer, before frowning at what she saw. She could understand the other devices, everything here had a purpose, but this device she couldn’t understand one bit, especially not in a room as important as this one. What was a washing machine doing here?
The white machine was rumbling and leaking, dripping water everywhere. The thing was turned on but there weren’t even any clothes inside it, just overflowing with water both from the trunk as well as a pipe in the back. She couldn’t let this place become even more damaged. Though the lights were dim she could clearly see the off button. Approaching, she outstretched her hand.
She never reached the off button, when in the corner of her eye she could see the pipe turning to her, not simply spilling the water on her, but shooting it at her, straight in the stomach right to the door. She was dazed for a moment, trying to process what just happened as she held her stomach. She looked up, seeing not a white washing machine, but one of a reddish orange, a blue glow surrounding it. It angled its pipe at her with pincers that looked like large clothespins, barely managing to dodge the Hydro Pump.
“Whuh… What in the…” She was moving round the room at a frantic pace, trying her best to avoid the high-pressure water. This Pokemon looked almost like the one Sunset had at Los Pegasus, but that thing had wheels and seemed more like a grass-type, this thing was using water with no hint of grass. She theorised that this might be an evolution of some kind, or perhaps one that happened to look similar, which had happened before, a concept she was familiar with. She looked around the room, what little equipment there was, getting destroyed and rendered useless. She scowled, picking a Pokeball from her hip. “Exeggcute, Absorb!”
The grass Pokemon fired off a red beam at the water Pokemon, draining and stunning it. Twilight used this moment to make a run for the still-open door, reaching her hand forward, but as she was just a step away her foot slipped, and she dropped to that wet floor. The washing Pokemon smiled, shooting a Hydro Pump at her. Twilight stared down the blast wide-eyed, but it didn’t reach her.
That hollow shell of a Pokemon stood between the two, shaking off the attack like it was nothing.
“Leech Life!” Rainbow’s voice called, Shedinja hitting the water-type and making it stumble. “Get up already!”
Twilight blinked, turning around to Rainbow, who was pulling her up. “Where were you??! Aren’t you supposed to be fastI?”
“How about we get out of here fast!”
The machine advanced on them, firing a Hydro Pump that Shedinja blocked once more. Twilight didn’t understand how the bug-type could take such a powerful attack with so little damage but Rainbow didn’t care, simply calling an attack.
“Quick, Leech Life!”
“Absorb!”
Twilight yelled shortly after, and so Shedinja and Exeggcute hit their enemy head-on, giving the girls a window to bolt. They passed through the doorway, thinking they were safe. As they were about to return their Pokemon, a shadow loomed over them in the dimming lights. They turned, only to be knocked to the side by a grinning Gliscor.
The Fang Scorpion wasted no time, attempting to sting them over and over as they frantically moved.
“Wing Attack!” Rainbow threw out Taillow’s Pokeball, and the summoned bird smacked at Gliscor with its wings, but the ground-type batted those attacks with ease before hitting the bird’s back with Poison Jab.
“Disarming Voice!” Twilight frantically called out her Psychic Pokemon, but as Gliscor grinned through the attack it told her how little damage it did, and Ralts got its own Jab to the stomach for its struggles.
The Fang Scorpion laughed down at them. They tried to run, but Gliscor catching up was simple Acrobatics. Its pincers outstretched, ready to grab their meddling necks.
Suddenly, something slammed into it, the speed and weight knocking Gliscor into the wall. Twilight and Rainbow turned back to see Gliscor struggling against Bouffalant, Strongheart standing and watching the two with a determined look on her face.
“Are you two okay?” The girl in the poncho asked with a bit of worry.
“Don’t look away!” Twilight yelled, and the bull was knocked back. Gliscor growled, shaking off and floating in the air.
In the outer area or a forest Gliscor could easily glide through the trees. Here however, it was a bit restricted. This gave the group a better chance against the Fang Scorpion. Twilight thought as much, anyway…
“Disarming Voice!” She called the attack out, but just as Ralts got ready, it was struck in the back with a dark smoke-like wind. The water-type stood behind her, Shedinja already having fallen to Rainbow’s shock.
Rotom: The Plasma Pokemon
This form of Rotom enjoys coming up with water-based pranks. Be careful with it if you don't want your room flooded.
As a Hydro Pump was sent her way, they barely avoided it.
So it wasn’t an evolution, but some other form that it could take, though Twilight didn’t quite understand how. Still, she wouldn’t get the chance to wonder as she dodged those attacks, Rainbow barely having time to return the fainted Shedinja. Bouffalant tried to charge, but Gliscor grabbed it by the horns and sank its teeth.
“I thought this Pokemon was supposed to be invincible!” Rainbow whined.
“No Pokemon’s invincible, Rainbow. There had to have been a weak spot in its defence that Rotom took advantage of.” Twilight replied. Of course, if anyone could take advantage it would be one of that woman’s Pokemon. Ralts tried another attack, but that Ominous Wind knocked it square into the wall, unconscious.
Even with three trainers here, it was too much. Even so, Twi knew that with the Rotom here its trainer couldn’t be far behind. She could stop all this at the source.
She managed to duck out of the way of another Hydro Pump, running past the Rotom to the hall determined to not let this chance slip through her fingers once more. She round a corner only to narrowly dodge a Thundershock. She looked around for the source, summoning Eevee and Exeggcute to her side. It didn’t come from Rotom’s direction, and there were too many more holes round that corner yet she could see a shadow prowling through them.
“You are getting really annoying, you know that?” The bookworm heard a voice echo through the place. “Guess this is what I get for being nice and letting you go. Not like that’s ever got anyone anywhere. Sorta like you.”
“Why should I care what a coward like you thinks? What you’re trying to do is going to doom the region.” Twilight responded, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from.
“Not doom, revolutionise. Things are so stagnant. Nothing grows in a world like this but we can make strong Pokemon in an instant. This is just another advancement. Even the rules of evolution are nothing.” That smug voice responded. “Look how just one was a threat for all of you combined. Not that the likes of you are much of an accomplishment, but it’s just proof that we’re going in the right direction.”
“You’re going to cause a lot of pain in this little quest for power. Is that really alright?” Twilight asked incredulously. Her opponent scoffed even as Twilight pinpointed the voice’s source.
“Power is the key and we hold it. It’s just a matter of time.” Twi moved closer to the broken down door of a break room. “It’s not my fault everyone else is too weak to see what’s coming.”
The purple girl took a step in the room and the danger began immediately. Luxray shot a Thundershock at Exeggcute, stunning it before it could do anything. Eevee had already dug a hole on Twilight’s orders and while it was toying with the grass-type, but when Eevee burst from the ground it was met with an Iron Tail. Each time it tried it was countered before it could do anything, Luxray always found the. Twilight barely had time to give orders as the redhead walked out of a hole in the wall clutching a bag, grinning as she watched the feline toy with its prey before knocking them both down. Luxray advanced on them, its body already flowing with electricity. Sunset snapped her fingers, Luxray fired.
Instead of landing the attack, however, the Pokemon was hit in the face with a spinning ball, the speed and weight knocking it back. Sunset, nearly dropping her bag, turned her attention, recognising not a ball, but a small blue elephant Pokemon, its cowgirl trainer right there with it.
What was more, Gliscor and Rotom flew back to Sunset’s side with traces of ice and seeds respectively on the two. Not far behind were Pinkie with Shroomish and Rarity with Glaceon. Rainbow and Strongheart stood there as well, Bouffalant beside her. Most of the group was here.
Twilight blinked, but before she could ask Applejack just smiled.
“Ya don’t gotta worry about them bigguns. Thunderhooves told us to come here, and if I may say he had a good sense for that.”
Rhydon and Camerupt roared as they hit each other head-on. Hammer Arms met with Frustration, the strongest either had seen. Thunderhooves watched his greatest partner, and though he hated himself for thinking it there truly was nothing but hatred the burning camel seemed to hold. Braeburn might’ve thought he had the advantage, but even though the move was weak on Rhydon. Camerupt seemed to have no problem pushing the rock-type back.
Rhydon grunted, its back to the stone wall. It slammed its fists into Camerupt’s face over and over, which only seemed to make the fire-type angrier. First came the Lava Plume to the face, blinding the rhino. Then it let loose those dark flames, and Rhydon’s typing mattered even less. It wasn’t damaged in spite of the typing, it felt like something else entirely.
“Drill Run!” It heard the voice just in the corner, but it was enough to snap it out of its pain. Grabbing Camerupt’s head, Rhydon twisted and brought its horn down, doing more real damage to this thing. “Now Hammer Arm!”
Rhydon knocked Camerupt back, making another hole but gaining some distance between the group, allowing the rock-type some needed recovery time.
They didn’t know where the grunts were, assuming they had all bolted by now.
“There’s somethin’ way too weird about this thing.” Braeburn commented. “It uses fire but it’s like it… Doesn’t.”
“Then the tinkering of these madmen is much worse than we thought. I hate to say this, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to stop Camerupt without defeat.” Thunderhooves sighed. This wasn’t like being a gym leader and watching it get beaten in a loved battle, this was causing pain to a partner he knew was hurting against its will. Braeburn understood as much.
“Sheesh… I can’t say I blame ya, I guess. But it don’t change a thing. I’m not sure if we’re capable of beatin’ somethin’ like that, but we gotta try, right?” The cowboy watched Rhydon make its running start, right as Camerupt’s humps glowed. “Wait!”
When Rhydon ran over, Lava Plumed everywhere and Rhydon stopped, blocking the blow and standing in front of the humans. Braeburn could hear those pained grunts.
Braeburn ran over to Rhydon, clambering atop the rock-type’s back. Thunderhooves wondered what the hell that fool was doing, even Rhydon seemed confused.
“Jeez, what did I tell ya?” The cowboy smiled. “I told ya, there’s no need to protect us. I’ll be right here with ya.” He pulled something out of a bag. The reins he had always used with his partner. He offered them up to Rhydon. “Whaddya say?”
Rhydon looked at them, leaning his head towards them. Braeburn nodded, and as Sandslash distracted the camel, Braeburn fastened them on as best he could. He had no saddle, but that didn’t matter. He turned to Thunderhooves.
“Go find that girl! Leave the rest to me!” He spoke, knowing the gym leader wouldn’t want to see his partner like this. Thunderhooves didn’t show he was grateful, just giving Braeburn a look of trust and ran to punish the one responsible.
Camerupt was mad, Lava Plumed from its humps to take out every enemy at once.
“Rock Tomb!” On Braeburn’s orders, stones fell to the ground around the beast, making a burial that both hit Camerupt and contained the lava, something Thunderhooves found impressive.
“Hammer Arm!” Rhydon rushed forward once more, and as Camerupt summoned the Earth’s Power Braeburn kept an eye on the ground, tugging the reins to move Rhydon away each time the attack aimed. Going left, right, left, right, each time it was aimed Rhydon moved with the tugging reins, the two moving as one until Camerupt was hit square in the face. Another wall destroyed..
They could see it, Camerupt was sluggish, yet Rhydon was in worse shape, burns and bruises on its body.
Braeburn hesitated and Rhydon paid in the form of a Shadow Fire. The rider veered to mitigate but enough damage was done, followed by a Frustration to the side, slamming the two into another wall but instead of breaking into another room this wall cracked, and Braeburn got a hint of daylight shining out from the side of Macintosh Hill.
Braeburn had an idea, but just hoped Thunderhooves didn’t hate him for it. He called out Hammer Arms and Rock Tombs, not packing as much power as they would have but that let Rhydon conserve energy and even if they hoped it, they knew those wouldn’t beat Camerupt, just annoy it, ramming it in the face and humps to throw off any fire attacks, leaving the mad Pokemon’s only option to rush forward, its Frustration having reached its peak. Braeburn pulled the reins to avoid most of the attack, and doubled Camerupt’s momentum with another well-placed Hammer Arm, sending it crashing into the wall, which crumbled immediately.
Yet it hadn’t been enough, the stubborn camel stumbled, but did not fall out of the cave. Braeburn cursed, trying to think of what to do next, before Rhydon decided. The rock-type shook its rider off, and before the cowboy could ask what it was doing, it lunged forward, its body rotating as it collided with the Camerupt, who countered and they became a mess of stone and flame barrelling down the hillside until finally they released each other.
When Braeburn peered out the cave he saw the two lying halfway down the hillside, both knocked out.
Braeburn sighed, wanting to go down to his partner before noticing a shadow a few busted walls away. Thunderlane was sitting there, barely conscious with Heliolisk in his lap. Leaning down, he picked the trainer and the Pokemon up, before slowly making his way down the hill.
To Sunset, this was becoming more trouble than it was worth. Another attack flew by her, and a black square dropped from that bag. She cursed, surrounded by subpar trainers, but surrounded nonetheless. In taking on these large groups her own Pokemon had suffered, Gliscor especially. No matter how strong, it was in an unsuited environment unable to bring out its full potential.
“Give it up already, there’s nowhere for you to run.” Rainbow grinned. She and Applejack stood in front of Sunset’s closest exit, the emergency door, not to mention Thunderhooves, most of whom’s Pokemon had not taken much damage, and was one of the few who wanted her to escape the least. Even so, she would not consider herself in trouble.
“I beg to differ. I’m going to leave and none of you will do a thing about it.” She held the same confident grin, something that almost threw the group off, leisurely taking a step towards them, sending them further on edge. Good.
“Have you even seen the position you’re in?” Strongheart questioned.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re way too easy to manipulate. Like the bulls you tame, you only see red for something you already hate. It makes you get mad and desperate, you couldn’t even see what was happening under your nose. Why should now be any different?”
“Please, we’ve seen all your tricks. Even those strong Pokemon are too tired to fight back.”
Sunset smiled, looking Strongheart in the eyes. “Not only am I going to escape, but you’re going to help me.”
“Why would I even do that?”
“Why not?” Sunset shrugged. “You’ve been helping me so far, why stop now?”
“...What?”
“Here’s a little pop quiz: How did we manage to sow that discord hm?”
“You used our own legends against us, your Abra hypnotised Fluttershy here, of cour-”
Sunset laughed.
“I mean, those sightings were going on long before those idiots got your other girl. Besides, we needed someone who could be quick to wear the costume, someone acrobatic. Those idiots picked an understudy when our star wasn’t available.” She looked at Strongheart. “Who do you think fits the bill most, hmm~?”
Strongheart paused as those words dawned on her. She didn’t want to answer.
“I mean, it’s not like it was just your body that made you perfect. That distrust of others, the need to protect others from a perceived enemy, Abra just had to focus that hatred a bit more.”
“...Shut up.”
“Combined with your own little legends, we gave you a hand in dividing them all. Settlers thinking it was some plot by you, which in a way it was, while your own friends thought it was an angry spirit, when really it was one of their own making things worse for them.”
“Shut up.”
“So why don’t you turn around and bow to your audience? After all, we couldn’t have picked anyone better~.”
“ENOUGH!” Strongheart yelled, dashing at the admin who stood in the same place. The feather-headed girl swung a kick at her enemy, but her foot stopped inches from the admin’s face, for Strongheart could not go any further with a Gliscor’s tail wrapped around her neck. The words died with choking and gave short-lived struggles as she was barely able to breathe. The group began rushing over, before Gliscor propped the rider girl up and they stopped. Gliscor snarled, daring them to keep going but none stepped forward.
“So for that, I thank you for your help once again. You’ve been an excellent partner.” Sunset patted Strongheart’s head. “Now! I trust you all know what happens if you get too close.” She climbed on top of Luxray’s back, before looking at all of them. Slowly, the group stepped back, making way. “You can keep this place. I’ve no more use for it.”
She and the Pokemon ran, leaving the group with few options. They ran after Sunset as fast as they could, but by the time they got out the cave the redhead was already riding into the forest, Strongheart lying disposed at the bottom of the hill, her face full of despair.
“Hey, why don’t ya take a break big guy?” Thunderhooves looked up from his work, seeing Braeburn there with a smile. The large man paused. He had just finished handing the last of the planks to an Appleloosan who was taking it and handing it up to some of the guys on the roof, where a nomad and settler were repairing different parts of a home, a similar sight for many different parts of Appleloosa.
“The effort will take a good while. It is best not to stop now.”
“Aww shucks, it won’t be too long.” Braeburn grinned, and things almost seemed too bright. The big guy really couldn’t say no to this Appleloosan.
“Very well.” Thunderhooves relented.
“Hoo-wee! Let’s get you a seat!” Brarburn pulled the gym leader along with a smile to a bunch of benches in the town square, right where everyone was, both the new and familiar people having sit downs, talking together.
A few days had passed. It was kind of hard to believe that this place was what it was before, such a hotbed of chaos. He was ashamed, admittedly.
“How is… Uh…”
“Camerupt has been… The same.” Thunderhooves answered the question the cowboy was dancing around.
“...Oh…”
“It seems he truly does not recognise me, or perhaps he doesn’t care.”
Braeburn was sympathetic. Rhydon, enraged as it was, had already begun returning to normal with its treatment. Camerupt on the other hand was roaring and threatening others with eyes of pure malice for everything around it. This had left Thunderhooves little choice but to keep the fire-type in its ball.
A hand rested on the large man’s shoulder.
“We/ll figure this thing out. They did somethin’ different to Camerupt but whatever it is we’ll flip it right back, so ya don’t gotta worry ‘bout a thing. Now have some pie, ya deserve that much.”
Thunderhooves looked down at the pie on their bench, one of many that various people were seated around and enjoying. A particularly big slide had already been cut out for him, the golden apples sticking perfectly inside that deep brown crust. He dragged a finger along it before sticking his fork in, moving it up to his mouth and taking a bite.
First was that crust, the edges slightly crispy, but the further you dug the softer it became until he got to those apples, juicy apples perfectly peeled and cored leaving only the delectable interior that was both succulent and crunchy in the way only fruit could be, both sweet and tart. The pie was like a walking contradiction, and he couldn’t get enough.
“That was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten! Why, I must have more!” He declared, eating as much as he could with no objections from the others, who chuckled.
“Ya got no idea how happy it makes us to hear that, big guy! It’s the type a’ food that makes family and friends, an honour to share it with ya.”
“Remember my first pie? Hoo-wee, I couldn’t get enough a’ the stuff!” Someone sat down next to them, Silverstar tipped his hat.
“Takin’ a break too, sheriff?” Braeburn asked.
“If I’m being honest, I wanted to see how the results turned out.” Silver responded, watching a woman with a clipboard make her way up to a podium. Braeburn blinked, before realisation struck his face.
“Oh appleseeds, is that today?” The blonde slapped his head, while Thunderhooves looked between the two.
“What do you mean?”
“This town is so new we didn’t have a proper mayor yet! We were holdin’ an election for that but I just figured it was gettin’ postponed.” Braeburn explained. The woman got ready to announce.
“The results have come in all nice and tallied! The mayor you kind folks have chosen to lead this fair town is none other than… Thunderhooves!”
The gym leader went from barely listening to choking on his pie. Everyone present clapped as he looked around, dumbfounded.
“Hey, congrats buddy!” Braeburn patted the big guy’s back.
“I… I don’t understand. I do not recall putting myself down for leadership of this place.” Thunderhooves exclaimed.
“I guess someone put in a good word for ya.” Braeburn chuckled in an unsubtle way.
“You would have someone like me lead you? After I was so easily manipulated?”
“There’s not a single person here who didn’t fall hook line and sinker for that ploy, fella.” Silverstar noted. “We’re all in the same boat, but Braeburn over here told us what ya did. If ya hadn’t held back so many of those bulls, things coulda been a lot worse. Ya hated us but still protected us.”
“Even so, I know I am… not well-tempered. Now more than ever. I failed my people, and I failed my partner. I am unsure if I could manage two groups of people when I have just finished one.”
“It ain’t like you’ll be goin’ in alone.” Braeburn patted his back. “We can work the details out, and we’ll all be here, and if we agree. we’ll talk together about what to do, but we trust ya. You should try it too.”
“For the time being I suppose it is not bad… Everyone is rather sick of treating each other like outsiders. If you are willing to listen not just to me, but to the Pokemon and land, then let us discuss the particulars in the future then.”
“Couldn’t be happier!” Silverstar smiled. “We’ll be makin’ both places better after this!”
“After more pie?”
Braeburn grinned. “We agree already.”
The day was turning to evening, the beginning of a sunset peering above the roofs. Strongheart sat exhausted, watching the world go by. She saw both the nomads and settlers rebuilding the town together, the people of the moving village helping to carry various planks and pillars while the Appleloosan doctors took many of the Bouffalant in, doing their best to help those bulls make as quick a recovery as possible. Much great progress had been made, and though they still had a way to go, everyone seemed to be getting along. Things were in the process of changing. Apparently there were plans to truly educate Appleloosa about the ecosystem they had claimed as home, and how to work with it to make things happier for all.
Even with one Gliscor gone, they hadn’t been able to rid themselves of all the Gligar, instead, on Fluttershy’s suggestion, a section of their orchard had been cordoned off for the remaining Gligar. The orchard… Sighing, she shook her head trying not to think about it. As she stood up, she tried to get her mind off it, wanting to help out. The house she had just been helping with was finished. Things for now seemed to be reaching peace. She just wished it hadn’t taken such chaos to reach this state. She had done a great deal herself, but she wasn’t satisfied.
Walking through the town, she saw the men and women of both villages reluctantly speaking with each other, each with their own varying degrees of comfort, whether that be from guilt or their own lingering resentment she wasn’t sure, and supposed it varied from person to person, but she could hear the caution in their passing voices. She was quite aimless, every house she asked seemed to have their hands full.
Strongheart found herself on the edge of town, seeing a house that wasn’t much done, not having many people around helping and in a weird way it was a relief; something she could do, be a part of. She was about to call out to the group, before she heard a wind rustle the trees. Trees… She turned to her left, seeing the orchard below. Aimless as she was, she hadn’t realized she had come so close, and found herself staring at them for a moment. It was amazing how simple trees could cause such a problem.
She stared closer and closer, then there was movement. Not simple leaves rustling but a person. A figure in a cloak, and a smiling Gligar mask.
Eyes widening, Strongheart broke into a run, going as fast as she could. The closer she got the more detailed it became, that familiar outfit on a tall figure retreating into the woods, like Strongheart could see every crease and cut on the outfit and when she got there… Nothing. Vanished before her eyes. With frantic motions she looked around everywhere, trying to find any sign of the Gliding Girl, she looked down, the footprints were proof that someone was there, but no others could be found, not even claw marks. Taking a closer look at the footprints, something felt off about them. Slowly she set one of her feet into them. A perfect fit.
Suddenly, she became nautious. A pit formed in her stomach as she watched the forest move and bend around her. She grabbed at the nearest tree but it distorted out of her reach as if avoiding her touch. She fell, looking up at the forest twisting around her, rejecting her. She blinked and all the tears and scratches on the trees became clear, half-eaten rotting apples with the screaming of people blaming each other, her at the centre of it all.
“Stop!” She squeezed her eyes shut and cried.
“Stop what?” She gasped as someone piped up behind her. Strongheart hadn’t expected anyone to answer and opened her eyes in shock, greeted by a normal orchard, the trees and leaves in as good a condition as they’d always been. She looked around for any signs of distortion but it had disappeared. Her dizziness and nausea, however, remained. The voice spoke up again. “Ya doin’ ok there?”
It was more recognizable this time. Strongheart slowly turned her head, and saw Applejack crouched down.
“Y-Yeah.” Strongheart lied, and AJ just gave a knowing look, sitting down next to the poncho-clad girl.
“Lotta stuff’s happened here, huh? Good to uh, move forward.”
“..Can we really just forget about it?” Strongheart frowned.
“Shucks, who said a thing about forgettin’? Don’t think any of us should forget what we learned here. We gotta remember it and the parts we played.”
“Some, bigger than others.”
“They were controllin’ yer head. That ain’t on ya.” AJ didn’t want this poor girl to blame herself just like Thunderlane had.
“We got tunnel vision. So focused on what was in front of us, we saw the symptoms, not the disease.”
“You’re right you’re right. We couldn’t see what was goin’ on.”
“So what if it happens again?”
Applejack looked at Strongheart, who spoke up once more. “What if she comes back and the same stupid thing happens again? That girl might have lied when she said she was done with this place. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt just because-”
“Uh, howdy?”
They both turned around, seeing Braeburn there with a small smile.
“Hope I’m not interruptin’. I just wanted to say thanks for given’ this little town a second chance, and you don’t need to take the blame for all of this. It happened because a lotta people were too dang stubborn to see the bigger picture. I learned that people can take what scares ya and use it against ya, so Strongheart ya best not let that fear win. I can promise I won’t let it happen again, but I can’t do it alone.”
He knelt down, putting a hand on the Strongheart’s shoulder. “Will y’all help us?”
Little Strongheart stared up at him for a moment, before a small smile made its way onto her face. He offered her her own slice of pie, and she, like Thunderhooves, took it. It tasted of many good things, but most of all, it was comfort, home. A taste that promised things would be okay.
AJ nodded as she looked at the two, her cousin always was the sentimental type, but that was what was so great about him. She turned her head to the orchard. She was glad to see all this. Apples weren’t meant to pull people apart. She blinked as she felt something under her hat, before it plopped down into her lap, Leafeon lying in it. The two stared at each other and she chuckled, running her hand through the Eeveelution’s fur.
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